SHELTER SHOWDOWN: Charlotte County's animal shelter fights for more money

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — For more than 50 years, the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County has welcomed everything from cats and dogs to chameleons, pigs, and even snakes. It has been the county's public animal shelter since 1974.

Now, that could change.

The shelter said it plans to end its contract with the county in nine months unless a new deal is reached. The Welfare League is trying to re-negotiate it's contract for the first time since 2013, citing population growth, inflation, and a decline in donations.

The shelter is asking the county to increase its annual payment from $325,000 to roughly $1.3 million. The current deal includes a 3% annual increase. The Welfare League is pushing for a 5% annual increase.

“We’ve been subsidizing the county for 13 years, and we don’t feel we can do that any longer," said Tara Zajas, executive director of the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County.

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Zajas said the shelter needs more money to care for the animals that come from Charlotte County Animal Control. Last year, the county dropped off around 1,600 animals at the shelter, Zajas said.

The shelter is also asking for the right to refuse county animals during periods of overcrowding, according to a presentation from Brian Jones, the Charlotte County Animal Control Division manager.

The Welfare League is also requesting overage fees if the county drops off more than 50 dogs or cats a month, or if the shelter holds animals for the county beyond the typical five-day period.

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Charlotte County's counteroffer came in at $500,000 annually, Zajas said.

"We said, we're sorry but we don't think that that's a sustainable model for us," Zajas said.

In a statement, Charlotte County said it is actively negotiating a contract renewal in good faith with the Welfare League.

"We remain hopeful in continuing our successful partnership with the Animal Welfare League," Charlotte County Public Safety spokesperson Ashley Turner told FOX 4 in an email. "However, we are committed to providing continuity of animal control services to the community."

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Commissioners directed county staff to continue negotiations with the shelter during a Jan. 20 board meeting.

"Something to remember is the need for the service isn't going to go away just because the funding does," Commissioner Bill Truex said. "We're going to have to figure it out."

Charlotte County government does not have a shelter of it's own, Jones told commissioners.

Even if no deal is reached, the shelter said it plans to stay open.